1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the art of light reflectors and more specifically to a novel and improved light reflector for providing even illumination from a lamp, while hiding the lamp directly from view.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Substantial efforts have been made to provide good general illumination with flourescent lamps, particularly as used in ceiling fixtures which obscure the lamps from direct view. Typical of such fixtures are ceiling light fixtures which are used with hung or suspended celings. Such fixtures include housings recessed within the ceilings and lenses, or diffusers, in the openings of the housings to distribute the light produced by the lamp.
Generally if the lamp is to be hidden from direct view, the light from the lamp must be reflected from a reflector which is visible. In prior art designs, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,560,729 the majority of the light produced by the fixture is directly incident upon the main reflector. The rest of the light, for example that produced from the portion of the lamp facing away from the reflector, is reflected by a secondary relector to pass through or by the lamp. Prior art designs have not permitted this light to pass around the lamp and instead the light has passed through the lamp if it is used at all. These reflectors are therefore inefficient since the lamp itself will, to a greater or lesser extent, attenuate the light passing through it. This has been a common problem with fixtures which have sought to obscure the lamp from view such as for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,835,745 1,815,751 and 1,775,619 in in which the light reflected from the portion of the lamp facing away from the main reflector is reflected back toward the center of the lamp by a spherical secondary reflector. These lamps thus suffer from a poor lighting efficiency since a substantial portion of the light emanating from the lamp is attenuated by the lamp itself.
It is also generally desirable to provide an even illumination, particularly with overhead or ceiling fixtures, to prevent dark or poorly lighted areas in the space illuminated by the lamp.